Application Guide

How to Apply for Request for Founders

at Halcyon Futures

🏢 About Halcyon Futures

Halcyon Futures is a mission-driven organization dedicated to building resilience for the era of transformative AI. They uniquely combine grantmaking, incubation, investment, and career support to address AI risks at scale, making them a hub for high-impact work in AI safety and global catastrophic risk.

About This Role

As a founder at Halcyon Futures, you will lead a new project from concept to implementation, focusing on areas like AI safety, cybersecurity, or biosecurity. You'll have the autonomy to shape a venture that directly mitigates risks from transformative AI, with support from a network of experts and funders.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a check-in with your team (if you've hired one) to review progress on milestones, followed by deep work on project strategy, writing a grant proposal, or meeting with potential collaborators. You'll also spend time monitoring AI developments, refining your theory of change, and presenting updates to Halcyon's leadership.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Halcyon Futures Is Looking For

  • Proven entrepreneurial experience, such as founding a startup, launching a research initiative, or leading a high-impact project from scratch.
  • Deep technical or policy expertise in one of Halcyon's focus areas: technical AI safety, alignment, cybersecurity, biosecurity, pandemic preparedness, AI governance, sensemaking, or societal resilience.
  • Strong strategic thinking and ability to develop a clear, actionable plan for impact, with measurable milestones.
  • Comfort with ambiguity and a bias toward action; able to iterate quickly and adapt to fast-moving AI developments.

📝 Tips for Applying to Halcyon Futures

1

Tailor your project proposal to Halcyon's specific focus areas; explicitly state which area(s) your project addresses and why it's urgent.

2

Show evidence of traction or validation for your idea—e.g., pilot studies, expert endorsements, or preliminary research—rather than just a concept.

3

Highlight any past entrepreneurial or leadership experience, even if not in AI; emphasize your ability to build teams and execute.

4

Mention any connections to the AI safety or biosecurity communities, as Halcyon values network effects and collaboration.

5

Keep your application concise but specific; avoid vague language like 'I want to make a difference'—instead, detail your project's theory of change.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Explain how your project directly contributes to mitigating risks from transformative AI, linking it to Halcyon's mission.", "Demonstrate your entrepreneurial drive with concrete examples of past initiatives you've led from idea to implementation.", 'Show that you understand the current AI landscape and can identify a critical gap or opportunity that your project fills.', 'Convey your commitment to long-term impact and resilience, not just short-term gains.']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read Halcyon's published reports and blog posts on halcyonfutures.com to understand their strategic priorities and language.
  • → Study the portfolio of projects they've funded or incubated to see what types of initiatives they support.
  • → Research the backgrounds of Halcyon's team members and advisors; note any shared interests or expertise you can reference.
  • → Look into the broader field of AI safety and global catastrophic risk to understand how your project could complement existing work.
Visit Halcyon Futures's Website →

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through your proposed project: what problem does it solve, and why is it the most important thing to work on now?
2 How will you measure success for your project in the first 6, 12, and 24 months?
3 What are the biggest risks to your project's success, and how will you mitigate them?
4 How does your project fit into the broader AI safety ecosystem? Are there existing efforts you can build on or collaborate with?
5 Tell me about a time you had to pivot an initiative due to new information or obstacles. How did you decide what to do?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Submitting a generic application that doesn't reference Halcyon's specific focus areas or mission.
  • Proposing a project that is too broad or vague; Halcyon looks for concrete, actionable plans.
  • Overlooking the importance of AI safety or biosecurity rigor; ensure your project is grounded in current research and best practices.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Halcyon Futures!

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